I just found out that Electronic Gaming Monthly will no longer be published.  This is a sad day.  I've been subscribing to EGM since I was in Junior High School.  I looked foward to reading it every month.  It was a reliable source for unbiased reviews and had a great sense of humor.  I know that you can get all of this stuff online, but call me old school, there was just something about having it there to pick up and read anytime.  Its not easy to use the laptop while youre in the can.  I can't believe it's gone.  Cancelled in a very un-ceremonious fashion by being bought out by another company.  It didn't even get the proper send off it deserves.  It truly sucks!  you will be missed EGM.

Hi all,

I thought it would be a cool idea to start a blog regarding my adventures, or misadventures regarding being a father for the first time.  Since we are naming our daughter hope, I thought it would be cool to name the blog: having hope.

Please follow the link, and let me know what you think.  http://havinghopeandfaith.wordpress.com/

Also, if any of you have facebook, please add me, or let me know what your info is.

My name is Andrew Peterson, and located in Sarasota, Florida.

Thanks!

I now know that the Rock Band series is better than Guitar Hero: World Tour. After playing some GH:WT...here are my observations/complaints (mostly about drums because that's my instrument of choice...and I'm an amateur drummer on the side):

• What is up with all of the non-English language songs??!? "Antisocial" when covered by Anthrax was a pretty good song, but the original by Trust?!? In FRENCH?!? what the heck? What about the songs in Spanish where I would guess a majority of the people playing the game have never even heard of?!?
  
• The drums are a little harder on Expert in my opinion, but maybe it's because I don't know HARDLY ANY of the songs. Is that my fault? But I also think it's because of some of the ridiculous stuff that the programmers have done. There are some songs where you are either playing notes on the drums that don't really exist in the song (at least I can't hear 'em), OR the opposite happens where stuff is going on in the song but you are not playing it!
  
• This one's not a gameplay issue, but it's just something I noticed. Rock Band's animated band members (in the background) actually look like they are playing and hitting every note, whether it's guitar or drums. But, in GH:WT it looks more like a music video on MTV or VH1...there's no synchronization.
  

I haven't finished a career yet so maybe I'll change my mind. But right now, its Rock Band FTW!

What's your opinion??

With the shooting on the BARC and the outcry that has now started, I have to wonder why people still have trouble understanding what is justified anger and what is just plain insanity.  There have been so many incidents of Police abuse and then there are indeed ACCIDENTS.  Looting, burning, assault on folks that had nothing to do with alleged and actual abuse by police is NOT in any way defensible or warranted.  I hear cries of racism from many when I bring this up and say "how is it racist to comment on attacks of innocent people for no reason other than to be an anarchist"?  The lashing out at innocent people many miles from the incident ( Barc, Rodney King, etc. ) just because they can makes them even worse than those that perpetrated the crimes in the first place.  I am not saying police are innocent, nor do i say those who are caught up in situations with police are innocent.  Perfect example, I was in NY visiting friends ( who are black ) last February and we where out in the Bronx.  Well there was something going on, a kid was being arrested and one of the cops told us to move along.  So I start to move along, why wouldn't I?  Well my friends want to see what is happening and a crowd is gathering and the cop is now getting a tad spooked with so many people crowding the scene and starts to yell for everyone to move along ( for all I know the kid had a gun on him or drugs and they just wanted to cuff him and get him in the car ) so again I start to cross the street and my friends ask me what I am doing.  I say I am listening to the cop who has a gun and is getting pissed off.  They start with the democracy and free country and they don't have to move since they are not doing anything wrong, etc., etc.  So I say who cares, lets leave and continue on our way.  Well long story short, my friend is pushed, words are exchanged and he could have ended up in jail, but I was able to just talk him down and away we went.  Night is ruined and I spend the next 3 days talking about race and bullshit.  Is common sense in short supply?  It just hurts me a little inside to see so many ignorant people who carry so much hatred and mistrust.  Trust me kids, cop says jump you say how high and argue your case when it is appropriate...that comes from my next door neighbor who is a cop...and also black.  Game On!

I found this on Craigslist and....I LOVE IT!!! How true!!

(Author unknown)

"After two long years of being on a waiting list for an agility dog, we have been notified by the breeder that, at long last, our number has come up and ...WE ARE HAVING A PUPPY!!!

We must get rid of our children IMMEDIATELY because we just know how time consuming our new little puppy is going to be and it just wouldn't be fair to the children. Since our little puppy will be arriving on Monday we MUST place the children this weekend! They are described as:

One male - His name is Tommy, Caucasian (English/Irish mix), light blonde hair, blue eyes. Four years old. Excellent disposition. He doesn't bite. Temperament tested. Does have problems with peeing directly in the toilet. Has had Chicken Pox and is current on all shots. Tonsils have already been removed. Tommy eats everything, is very clean, house trained & gets along well with others. Does not run with scissors

and with a little training he should be able to read soon.

One female - Her name is Lexie, Caucasian (English/Irish mix),

strawberry blonde hair, green eyes quite freckled. Two years old. Can be surly at times. Non-biter, thumb sucker. Has been temperament tested but needs a little attitude adjusting occasionally. She is current on all shots, tonsils out, and is very healthy & can be affectionate. Gets along well with other little girls & little boys but does not like to share her toys and therefore would do best in a one child household. She

is a very quick learner and is currently working on her house training - shouldn't take long at all.

We really do LOVE our children so much and want to do what's right for them; that is why we contacted a rescue group. But we simply can no longer keep them. Also, we are afraid that they may hurt our new puppy.

I hope you understand that ours is a UNIQUE situation and we have a real emergency here!!! They MUST be placed in rescue by Sunday night at the latest or we will be forced to drop them off at the orphanage or along some dark, country road. Our priority now has to be our new puppy.

Of course this is a joke but this sounds just as ridiculous when you have to "rehome" your dog!! They love you and are want to stay a part of your family. I do not understand how someone can raise a puppy and then just give it away to a complete stranger. I do understand sometimes things do come up and their is no way possible you are able to care for your pet anymore, but most of the time that is not the case. I for one, could never and would never be without my 2 dogs and cat. There are many places that let you have a pet, you just need to look. So many people want to take the easy way out and in the end it is the dog who suffers.....and for what. All he did was love you. As for having a baby that is no excuse for rehoming your pet. You just need to teach your kids how to treat the dogs. An animal does not attack for no reason. "

^ year old was diagnosed with strep yesterday.  Wife calls and says she is taking the 5 year old to the doctor.  Turns out he has strep and the wife has a sinus infection.  Its going to fun around my house this weekend.

So... quite a while ago, I was approached by Majer Blundor. He was creating "2old2flank" a clan dedicated to tactical gaming. He asked me to hang out and write for the clan: get discussions going etc. I couldn't game too much with them: I could barely game enough with 2old4BS as it was.  Anyway: long story short: Majer turned out to be a total fuckwad, and abandonded his clan. Now we all get that Real Life sometimes takes over, and gaming must take a back seat. That is fine. But to take your own clan off your FL without a goodbye is wrong.  Anyway: 2old2flank is debating on shutting down. Even though ViktorVonDoom and others have done a kick ass job, there is just not enough intrest/support to keep it going. My hope is that enough old flanks read this and visit their old clan: let's see what we can do.

Anyway: here is one of my old articles that I had posted in 2old2flank.  It's about finding the right clan and some advice for clan leaders. Enjoy!

 Clans: Give n’ take in an on line community of adults

What is this thing, this community that we call a clan? How does it work, and more importantly how can it work well?

First, let’s look at the facts about 2o2play clans in general.

#1: They are for primarily passionate on-line gamers. 2old2play.com is an on-line community that consists of smaller on-line communities called clans; groups of like minded on-line gamers that want to get together and play. While this may seem obvious, let’s look at what this implies. Members of a clan are a) more interested in gaming more than the average person, and b) they like on-line gaming and take it more seriously than the “casual” on-line gamers who may have 10 people on their FL.

There are exceptions to this rule. 2o2RPG for instance is comprised of people who enjoy RPGs, but there are so few good on line RPGs (not to be confused with MMOs) that the amount of on-line gaming that occurs in 2o2RPG is minimal. Nevertheless, 2o2RPG is a thriving community where they discuss the latest and greatest in the gaming genre of their choice. Again, even though they may never play together, they are still passionate about the games that they do play.

#2. They are for adults all over 25. Let’s look at the minimum age of 25, what does this imply? Generally, it means that most people in 2old2play.com clans are past with certain milestones. Members are either finished with their education or continuing onto higher education. They have a career, or are in the process of looking for real work. Most people are either married, have been in long term relationships, or at least have talked to the opposite sex (or same sex, we don’t discriminate) at some point past 10PM. People are thinking about, or have kids and grandkids. We all have responsibilities outside of gaming.

RL vs FL

When we look at the two above facts, we can see a push and pull. We all love gaming, enough to have sought out (and found) a community of like minded people who share this passion. On the other hand, we all have real life responsibilities; generally speaking the days of playing games until 3AM on a week night are largely past us. Our clans must come in second to our kids, or spouses, and sadly sometimes even our jobs.

While people talk often about a work life balance, I would like to bring up the concept of a gaming/life balance and how each member of a clan can contribute to the overall well being of their clan.

Self Knowledge

As always, we must look inwards, before we can look outside ourselves. Ask yourself this: have I achieved my own gaming/life balance? Some people love gaming every single day for 5 hours; while others can only flip on the console once in a blue moon. Sometimes things come up in our lives that should take focus; a new baby, a new relationship, a new career, sickness of a loved one and so on. When these things enter into our lives, it can become difficult to balance the past time with we are so passionate (gaming) and this new thing that has entered into our lives. Do you feel guilty about gaming? Does it impact relationships that are important to you? Or have you happily found a balance?

If you have, congratulations. If not, now is the time to really ask yourself, what do I want out of gaming? Is it to make my life more enjoyable? If gaming takes over too much of my life, will it continue to be a positive influence? No. Okay: the trick is again, finding that balance.

Are you in the Right Place?
Does the clan you are in contribute or respect your own definition of a gaming life balance? Is the clan too demanding? Not demanding enough? If your clan doesn’t respect your definition of gaming life balance AND you have discussed it with your clan leader, perhaps it is time to find a new clan. There is nothing wrong with leaving a clan if it doesn’t fit your needs. A clan is a relationship, it has to be right for both the clan and for the member.

There are so many clans, Curmudgeon Grudge is for parents, and they have no set game nights or times. The only thing they ask is that your post once in a while. The object of the clan is to have a full FL so that when you have a spare moment between diapers and report cards you can find someone to game. Other clans are much more disciplined. The point is there is a clan that is right for you and your definition of a gaming/life balance.

Clan leaders: be up front with new recruits, let them know what is expected from your people. Getting the right members is more important that getting warm bodies.

Clan Leader: How to Maintain your Own gaming/life balance and to make a happier/more productive team

A clan leader has a thankless job, and a hard one. Clans can be quite demanding, but as all good executives can tell you, while it is difficult it is possible to maintain a work life and in our case a gaming life balance it is possible. But how?

Ask for help. Be up front. People generally speaking love to help out, to feel important. Good companies know that the boss cannot do all the work, nor should they. The leader’s job is to identify and develop people so that the group is self reliant. Ask clan members to host on certain nights of the week, or to be in charge of training for a game type or a map, or drills.

Roles that can help the clan do not even have to do with gaming per se. Tap into different types of people to do different jobs. I have been asked by one clan to not game, but to write essays such as this in order to start conversations within the clan, to elevate the discussion regarding gaming. Some people are fantastic at finding new and interesting information for their clan, others are great at posting funny threads or organizing clan events. One person cannot be expected to do all of this. Also, by asking people to do the job that they love, they feel more at home and are happier. They get to run with something that they enjoy, and that is really why we are here.

Bottom Line

Gaming/life balance is important, and at 2old2play.com we have more than enough on our plates to make this difficult. Know your limitations, find the right clan, clan leader: ask for help and tap into the amazing talent within your team.

I was surprised to see a 2old2play member in the halo ODST Beta, but hey who better to test it. 

HEY, even if yo are NOT Christian, please look at the lyrics and listen to this song. It so amazingly true. Please just take 3 minutes. Thanks

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

I reccomend you click the video and watch it in HD on YouTube. Much better. This and the debut trailer with Ryu and Ken are my favorite. Lots of SF news today...plus its slow at work